How hot is too hot?

[LLLReptile]

Personally, I have kept mine in a garage that reached 85 on average during hot summers, with the absolute hottest being a day that reached 88/89 in there. I pointed a fan at that side of the garage, kept the heat pads off, and put ice cubes in the water bowls on the exceptionally hot day. That day was a record high; most of the time I just kept the thermostat dialed down (usually have it set to 95), with a hot spot of only about 87, 88, to keep the cages themselves from heating up too much more.

I would not recommend it for long term; I found it pretty stressful to be worrying constantly about whether or not the garage would get too hot for too long. I kept a thermometer near them that recorded min/max temps, and at the time had a roommate who was home during the day who could check on them if it did get too hot.

Interestingly, as stressful as I personally found it, the snakes seemed to love it. Not only fed like champs the entire time, but bred earlier in the season and produced the largest clutches any of them had ever laid. Every single female, even first time breeders, laid 7 eggs or more, and I had multiple females lay 11, 12, one even dropped 14 eggs.
Not sure if there is more to read into it, but I do know that they not only survived the higher ambient temps, but thrived that way. So take that as you will!

-Jen